No. 4.] EDUCATION AND INDUSTRY. 91 



endure. There comes inevitably a time when the mine is 

 empty, the forest destroyed, the virgin soil exhausted. 

 Tlien will arise the real question of industrial ability, which 

 can be met only by education and training. In like manner 

 the vexed problems of labor and capital will be settled only 

 by an industrial intelligence, which recognizes and accepts 

 the fundamental truths underlying relations of employers 

 and employed. Education alone can accomplish these ends, 

 but it must be a new kind of education, — a kind that will 

 reach the rank and file of industrial workers, and train them 

 not only in the technique of their pursuits, but inspire in 

 them respect, love and interest in their calling. That there 

 is a field and a need for extraordinary educational effort in 

 connection with the industries, and particularly wdth the 

 industrial classes, is apparent, if we consider certain features 

 of present industrial conditions in this country. Those I 

 wish to speak of particularly are as follows : 



First, the quality and character of the actual workers in a 

 given industry are matters of primary importance. Upon 

 their intelligence and mental attitude depends much relating 

 not only to that particular industry, but the geneiul wel- 

 fare. The greater })art of our people are industrial workers, 

 actually performing manual labor of a more or less skilled 

 kind. It is characteristic of these people to be ambitious, 

 to seek better positions, more pay, more responsibility, and 

 what they regard as higher social standing. Unfortunately, 

 these aspirations are not always accompanied by that train- 

 ing or fitness which w^arrants such ambitions, although 

 commendable enough in themselves, and made possible of 

 gratification by the peculiar industrial conditions of Amer- 

 ica. We are proud of those American citizens who have 

 risen from the ranks. It is the boast of our democracy that 

 no lad is so poor or of such obscure birth but that he may 

 enjoy at least the prospect of becoming President of the 

 United States. The result of all this, however, is to engen- 

 der a certain discontent with ordinary occupations. Wliere 

 it is possible for every boy to become wealthy, famous or 

 influential, it is plainly to be seen that he will have little or 

 no interest in a pursuit or trade that is only obscure and 



